


Lay it all down

by Nerdofmanytalents



Series: As Long as You Follow [5]
Category: Arrow (TV 2012)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Comfort, Episode: s01e15 Dodger, Jonas is only mentioned cuz it's past his bedtime, finally a bit of olicity
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-21
Updated: 2019-01-21
Packaged: 2019-10-14 01:10:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,058
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17498801
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nerdofmanytalents/pseuds/Nerdofmanytalents
Summary: Oliver visits Felicity in the aftermath of the Dodger.





	Lay it all down

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you to everyone who had taken the time to comment on all the other installments of this series! You are fueling my creativity!

_They’d barely been able to usher Felicity into a less crowded side hallway before she shoved them away and began backing further from them._

_“Get away from me, if this thing blows….” She trailed off as she held up her hands defensively, but both Oliver and Diggle ignored her as she backed into the wall and they closed ranks around her. Oliver couldn't ignore the stone of dread in his stomach as he stared at the blinking bomb collar around Felicity's neck._

_“Felicity…”_

_“The Dodger said if I contact the police, he'd… I'm gonna get decapitated aren't I? Oh God, Oliver, I'm gonna die and Jonas is gonna be alone-”_

_“Hey,” he said firmly. “That's not gonna happen.”_

_A note of hysteria began creeping into her voice and her eyes began to fill with tears. “Oliver, it's pretty safe to assume our **‘friend’** doesn't like it when people tamper with his explosives and there is a very real chance that this thing is going to blow up… Oh God. Oliver, please just… Just back off, **please,** if this… Jonas cannot be left alone, Oliver, promise me he won't be alone!”_

_“Felicity-”_

_**“Promise me!”** _

__

_He stepped in closer gripping her gently by the arm, and he could feel her shaking. Despite that, she was as still as possible, chin tilted up as if to try and give the bomb collar clearance. He urged her to meet his eye, trying to anchor her._

_“I promise, Felicity, I will always be here for Jonas, but that doesn't matter because you are going to be fine.” He gently tapped the phone clutched in her hand.  “The tracker is still active, and he's in the move. If I can find him, I can get him to disarm it.” His voice softened even further. “Talk me in. Stay calm, Felicity.”_

_She swallowed convulsively before humming weakly in the affirmative._

_“Oliver, go,” Digg said. He nodded, before leaving in and impulsively pressing a firm kiss to her forehead before Diggle urged him away faster. He pulled back_

_“You're going to be fine,” he assured once more, before turning in his heel and running to the exit._

 

\--

 

Four hours later, Oliver stood in front of Felicity's door. He'd been hesitant to let her go home alone, but she'd insisted, saying it had been late enough she needed get home to Jonas and relieve Raisa’s niece. She'd clearly been shaken, and so he'd found himself compelled to come check on her, despite her assurances.

 

He knocked, half holding his breath as he waited for her to answer. Thirteen seconds later, the door opened. She stared at him for a moment; gone was the golden cocktail dress from earlier, her hair now pulled into a damp messy knot at the top of her head from having showered. She was wearing pajamas and her face was scrubbed bare. Her eyes were a little red. It didn't take a genius to tell she'd been crying.

 

“Hey,” he said softly. “I just…. Wanted to check on you.”

 

She gave him a brief, wobbly smile and motioned him in. He stepped in, toeing his shoes off next to a pair of Jonas’ sneakers and the strappy heels Felicity had been wearing earlier. The two of them stood in a tense silence for a long moment before the whistling of a kettle broke the tension.

 

“I'm… making some tea. Would you like some?” she offered.

 

“Sure,” he said with a small smile he hoped was reassuring. She turned and led the way into her kitchen. He leaned a hip against the counter, watching as she removed the kettle from the stove. He couldn't help but smile when he realized the kettle was painted like an elephant. She reached and grabbed two mugs out of the cupboard, but when she reached over the stove to grab a tin, she suddenly lost her grip, dropping it and spilling tea bags everywhere.

 

The next second, she had clapped both hands over her mouth and was shaking, a sob escaping her. He immediately rushed forward, pulling her close, and she fisted her hands in his shirt as she cried.

 

“Felicity… “

 

“I was so scared, Oliver,” She gasped. “All I could think of was how Jonas said I looked pretty before I left and I promised I'd wake him up when I got home to say goodnight and how that wasn't going to happen…!”

 

“Shhh,” he soothed softly. “I know. But you're okay. I wouldn't let anything happen to you.”

 

She pulled away enough to roughly rub her eyes. “No! You can't… You can't promise that. God, I was so stupid, I got so caught up in it, I… I never should have tried to confront him, but I did and suddenly he'd leaned in close and I stumbled and then it was around my neck…”

 

She began pawing at the collar of her shirt, and he gently pulled her hand away.

 

“It's okay, Felicity. I should… I shouldn't have left you alone, he never would have touched you otherwise.” He apologized, running a hand up and down her back. “You're alright now. ”

 

She squeezed his hand, drawing a shaky breath.

 

“I just… God that was so close, Oliver. I… I much prefer being… Being safe in the lair, behind my computers. That was…. Too close.”

 

He hummed affirmatively. “Felicity, I will never let anything happen to you.”

 

“Did you mean it?” She suddenly asked, looking at him. “Did you mean it when you promised you would be there for Jonas if something happened to me?”

 

“Of course, but nothing is going to happen-”

 

“You can't promise that, Oliver.” She chided again. “And not… Not even from our work at night. I could get hit by a car going out to get a coffee on my lunch break. But… It means a lot that you would be there. If something happened. He adores you.”

 

He smiled. “I love him, too. And I fully intend to be here for him.”

 

“Good,” She affirmed softly, glancing down at where her hands were pressed against his chest. She bit her lip, before looking uncertainly up at him.

 

“... Oliver, could… Could you stay? Tonight? I know… I know nothing happened and I'm…I'm safe now, but I would…I would feel better if someone were here. If you were here.”

 

“Of course.”

**Author's Note:**

> That's all for now! Thanks for reading!


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